My Circle of Friends

I think maybe the world is getting smaller. This occurred to me the other day when I saw Sylvester Stallone on The View. He was totally pumped, sitting between Barbara Walters and Joy Behar, talking up the new Rambo movie. He's smart and funny, but there just seemed to be a disconnect. Or just an odd mix of people. Maybe it's just me. I prefer Rocky to Rambo anyway, and really only the first Rocky at that.

Then yesterday, I took Maudie and her friend to Hot Topic at the mall, where you can buy a Ramones t-shirt and a Sex Pistols t-shirt and a plethora of t-shirts with other images, old and new. Looking at Sid Vicious over the bobby-pinned heads of two 11 year old girls kinda felt like I had just passed myself in a narrow hallway. But the girls weren't interested; they wanted Save the Planet and Hello Kitty. Bollocks.

Sid, Rocky, Sly, Dee Dee, Hello Kitty -- it's all okay with me. Old friends who, wierdly, turned up in the same 24 hour period.



I got started on the first strip of the Circle of Friends baby blanket from LMKG last week. It's row upon row of lovely garter stitch, which is just right for showing off the neat squares of color. We've got six knitters lined up, three of whom are kids, to crank it out by the end of February. It's seven colorways of Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece. We recently replaced a caramel color with a cotton candy pink, since the recipient is most definitely a girl.

This is definitely tv knitting, so tonight I'll start the second strip, act my age and watch the next Jane Austen on "Masterpiece".

Manos Madness!!!

The thing I love about knitting is that all knitters, known and unknown, are friends. Once we find each other, the connection is instant. You can have a new best friend three sentences into a conversation. I think that Ravelry - in my opinion, the greatest thing since sliced bread, demonstrates this phenomenon.

Yesterday I received a box containing 22 skeins of black Manos del Uruguay, all wound neatly into cakes, with the ball bands neatly tucked in each one. My mother's friend Muriel has had this yarn for who knows how long, offered it to my mother, and when she didn't want it, suggested she send it on to me. If she had sent me a box of money I would not be happier than I am with this lovely and unexpected gift!



What will I do with this windfall? The mind reels. The possibilities seem endless...an enormous black afghan? Several felted bags? How about a giant felted dog bed for Snuffy? Matching sweaters for my tweens? Our boy would like it, our girl might deem it too emo.

But, before all that, I've got a few UFOs that are crying for attention. To that end, I entered this contest to spur me along. I've got a Clapotis, a Wicked and a felted kitty toy (don't ask) to choose from.

Oh, and no pajama sightings this week.

First FO of 2008!

Is this Bainbridge Scarf, a belated Christmas present for my mother. I can't say enough about this pattern; it's ingenious, looks fabulous and way cool all at once. I'd like to make another, but I almost never make the same thing twice. My only mods to the pattern: I couldn't bring myself to do the ties in seed stitch, so they're just garter. Seed stitch is such a condundrum -- I love the way it looks, but I really can't handle all that switching. I want to lay down just thinking of it. I have the utmost respect for Debbie Bliss -- how does she do all that seed stitch? Anyway, it's Colinette Jitterbug in Oyster Blush, held double on 6 needles.



Having recently destashed a few dust-gatherers, my stash was looking a little thin. I was surprised and delighted to receive two fabulous yarns for Christmas: Sundara Sport Merino in Meridian, complete with the Tatami pattern, and Noro's Cashmere Island, colorway 10. I don't know what either of these will become, but right now I just sit staring at them, which is weirdly satisfying.



I did have a few pajamas-in-public spottings over the holidays, two in airports, one in a Starbucks, although that was a toddler, so it doesn't count. The latest was actually today at the post office. This woman was wearing Pittsburgh Steelers PJs, which makes me think maybe she's still asleep.